The US administration is engaged in an “honest, full, and frank dialogue” with India despite recent tensions over tariffs, US State Department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on Friday (India time). He emphasised that addressing concerns about India’s purchase of Russian oil and trade imbalances is part of having a frank dialogue.
Pigott’s comments came amid growing tensions between India and the US, with US President Donald Trump criticising India’s oil trade with Russia despite ongoing sanctions. “What this is about is an honest, full, and frank dialogue about real concerns that this administration has, that the President has outlined very clearly – addressing those concerns through his actions,” Pigott said.
He added that having a frank dialogue is essential for advancing American interests and having a full diplomatic dialogue with partners.
The tensions between the US and India have been escalating, with the US President doubling US tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent, up from 25 per cent, as additional penalties linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil. The move was widely interpreted in Indian media as a response to New Delhi’s consistent emphasis on strategic autonomy and its rejection of third-party mediation.
Pigott emphasised that the US President has been clear about his concerns regarding India’s purchase of Russian oil and trade imbalances. “He’s spoken about them, whether it’s about the purchase of Russian oil, whether it’s about the trade imbalance. Addressing those concerns is important, and that’s part of what it means to have a frank dialogue – to address those concerns that you have – and then hopefully have conversations to see those concerns addressed,” he said.